Episode Transcript

This is a Pack Of Packs PodcastWith Lory MartinSession number one Everything Paleo in Hong Kong

Hi Folks,Summer break is over andWE. ARE. BACKNot with a vengeance but with a podcast

Thought it’s time to tinker with other kinds of media andTADAAAA Here’s my first podcast.

Since it’s still August it’s officially still silly season.Silly season (according to Wikipedia)is the period lasting for a few summer months typified by the emergence of frivolous news stories in the media. It is known in many languages as thecucumber time.InNorth Americathe period is referred to prosaically as theslow news season, or with the phrasedog days of summer.Why not regale you with a hopefully entertaining anecdote.

Obviously this a Hong Kong podcast as I am based i here.“Here” also to Chinese tourist as the shopping strip attached to Disneyland.Hong Kong’s expat percentage of population is one of the highest in the world.Indonesians making up 26% of them. Filipinos and the Chinese also represent a significant portion of expats, contributing 18% and 14% respectively. The remaining 41% is something of a cultural melting-pot, with France, South Korea, India, the UK, Canada, Japan, and Pakistan all representing between 2% and 4% of the expat population.

The remaining 23% is comprised of a large group of nationalities, none of which represents any more than 1% of the total expat population.It is of no big surprise that we from the fitness industry get clients from different countries. I was once asked if I prefer German clients since I’m from Germany myself.

But you need to consider that I’ve learned my trade as personal trainer and yoga teacher in English: Study material was in English, my instructors and teachers spoke in English, practice sessions were in Swahili …no of course English.I think I only ever led a training session in German once. And it was weird. CompareDrop down and give me ten .. versus Auf den Boden mit dir und mach 10 LiegestützeBecause.. honestly… whenever you go boot camp instructor in German on someone the association with a mean SS-officer is not far off. All I needed to do was add “Doctor Jones” at the end of a sentence.Nah, I have no favourite client nationality. I must admit that I tend to be more… hmm alert when it comes to British clients.It didn’t take me a long time to realize this. As you know British people can be awfully polite but as soon as you have endeared yourself to them or they feel more relaxed in your presence they seem to celebrate this new-found camaraderie with taking the piss out of you… a lot. It’s the national equivalent to a girl playfully punching a guy into the shoulder. Or as if saying “Capital, capital… although you are not a cocker spaniel.. you still make very good company.” No idea why I went a bit colonial era there.

Another factor is that British people deem the German accent to be utterly hilarious. And they seem to have a radar for zhat acctzent.But on good days, I’m proud to say, I can actually pass as South African who grew up watching Julie Andrews movies. Doe, a deer, a female deerRay, a drop of golden sunMe, a name I call myselfFar, a long long way to runOr something like that.

There are also those treacherous linguistic pits and falls which seem harmless in German but could make a British person piss him/herself.During one session while a British client was an ankle stretch I told him that I was looking forward to placing my next iHerb order as I was running out of almond butter. (on sidenote: iHerb is the like the amazon for supplements and health foods) I was also tempted to indulge myself and order Nutzo a spread which contained all kind of nuts and seeds. When he asked me why I washesitating I told him: “It’s a bit pricey for a jar of nut butter. I could order 2 jars of other nut butter for that price.”He was a bit taken off guard by that statement I think he almost tore his calf muscle. But he regained his self-composure with a hint of cheeky British smugness.“Uhm… I think you should avoid using the word ‘nut butter’” he said, the corners of his mouth quivering. “Well, at least in front of people from the UK.” My brained refused to imagine the possible faux-pas I just made and tentatively asked: “Why?”“Well,basically, it’s the accumulation of grime that can form on a bloke’s .. uhm nuts.”“Oh… but how do you refer to the spread made of… REAL nuts?”“You will have to actually refer to the particular sort of nut to avoid misunderstandings.”It’s not much of surprise that almond, cashew, hazelnut, brazilnut or any kind of nut based spread have never been mentioned since then.